A former dementia client had formed a special bond with CAREGiver of the Month Phyllis, and he also loved to play tricks on her.

“One day,” Phyllis recalled, “he locked me out of his apartment three times by asking me to go outside to do something for him: get groceries from his scooter, check his garden and something else. In a way, it was funny and showed he had moments of brilliance. Fortunately, his family had given me a key. Each time, I sneaked right back into the house and did not say anything to him. I think he had forgotten what he had done shortly after he did it. He was nonchalant and never questioned when I would show up after I had been locked out. It was funny to me, and every time I think about it, I laugh.”

Asked if she thought about confronting the client, Phyllis said: “Dementia clients don’t understand why you are reproving them. At the end of the shift, I told him we had a good day and left it at that. In my time with him, he did it only one other time. If something had happened to him when I was locked out, I would have been shaken up. But there was no damage.”

Dementia clients, of course, are different from others. CAREGivers such as Phyllis are among the reasons Home Instead Senior Care® of Metairie is an award-winning in-home senior-care franchise that serves the Orleans and Jefferson Parishes. Phyllis and other CAREGivers have taken the Home Instead Senior Care network’s Alzheimer’s Disease or Other Dementias CARE: Changing Aging Through Research and Education® Training Program.

CAREGivers who are trained in the CARE program have a passion to work with Alzheimer’s clients and receive ongoing instruction and testing to enhance their already outstanding care techniques. The Home Instead program offers a personal approach to taking care of seniors with Alzheimer’s disease at home – where 60 to 70 percent live, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. It is a unique program that has received acclaim and endorsements from experts.

The program equips CAREGivers to provide the highest quality of customized care that includes:

-Maintaining a safe environment

-Encouraging engagement

-Providing mind-stimulating activities

-Supervising daily activities

-Creating social interaction

-Providing nutritious meals

-Managing changing behaviors

-Supporting the person’s family

CAREGivers can provide assistance with establishing a regular routine and restoring the simple pleasures of life, among the best non-medical treatments for the disease. Keeping the clients engaged whenever possible, Phyllis said, is a goal.

Phyllis admitted: “I was apprehensive at first with dementia clients. With dementia, you get all different kinds of behaviors. These clients are delightful people. You can see how they once were – before the dementia – and the character of who they were. I know they were interesting people a long time ago. It is up to me to show them the love of God and respect them for what they once were.”

Dementia will move the clients around in time, Phyllis pointed out. “Sometimes, they are living in the present. Other times, they might be living in the era when they grew up. Still other times, they might be living during the prime of their work careers. I latch onto that person and address them where they are that day. I have dressed a client so we could take an imaginary trip to work and relive the good old days.”

A client told her family, “Phyllis makes me feel so good.”

Phyllis noted: “I never talk down to them. I would want to be treated with respect if the situations were reversed. With personal care, I approach them with respect: ‘Please let me help you with your shower. It is time to do that now.’ Or, ‘let’s take a trip to the bathroom.’ You give them their dignity.”

As a highly trained CAREGiver with great wisdom and pragmatic powers of observation, Phyllis has had to be honest with the Home Instead Senior Care staff when it comes to care issues.

“I went to the staff and talked it over, and we recommended to the family that a client needed more help than we could give him. For me, it was sad, because I understood him,” Phyllis said.

“I loved him and did not want to part with him. I did not want to pass him off to another CAREGiver. It had to be the staff and I united on the decision, knowing it was for his good. Not one week goes by when I don’t think about him. Dementia never gets better, and dementia took over in his life. I have a good boss and good staff, and I had to be at peace with the decision.”

"We were only able to use Home Instead for a few days before my father went to the hospital then hospice, but the staff was amazing and their short-notice flexibility a godsend. The woman who was assigned to oversee our situation was as tender and caring and thoughtful as could be; she felt more like a friend than someone we were doing business with. Home Instead was absolutely perfect for our needs. "

Alzheimer's and Other Dementias

Alzheimer’s and Other Dementia Care​

Laura Ingalls Wilder once said: "Home is the nicest word there is." This ma​y be especially true for loved ones affected by Alzheimer's or another type of dementia. The warm, familiar surroundings of home can play an important role in managing cognitive diseases.

Home Instead Senior Care® of Metairie is here to provide compassionate, high-quality memory care right in your loved one's own home.

All of our Alzheimer's and dementia CAREGiversSM take part in our unique and critically acclaimed training program called CARE: Changing Aging through Research and Education®. As pioneers in this field, Home Instead Senior Care developed the highest quality dementia caregiver training program available. We have helped change the way people live with Alzheimer's and other dementias.​

In-Home Care and Support Services

Alzheimer's disease doesn't only affect the family member with the condition. Alzheimer's impacts whole families. Coping with this progressive condition requires boundless quantities of patience, empathy and love. Professional caregiving provides individualized care for your loved one and gives you back some time to recharge. Our specially trained Alzheimer's CAREGivers offer an expanded array of services to your loved one:

Encouragement to do as much as they can on their own

Personal care assistance, such as toileting, bathing and grooming

Maintain a routine to discourage agitation and outbursts

Mental stimulation through conversation and other activities

Maintaining a safe environment

Manage changing behaviors

Adapting the level of care as the disease progresses

Honor who the senior was earlier in life

Provide nutritious meals

Assist with ambulation and socialization

Transport to medical appointments and other events

Support the family

Light housework and other household tasks

Pet care

​Call us at (504) 229-7663 to learn more about the ways our specialized Alzheimer's caregiving can help your family member continue to enjoy life in their familiar home environment.

Dementia Care Services

Alzheimer's disease is a type of dementia, but not all dementias are Alzheimer's disease. If your loved one has been diagnosed with dementia, vascular dementia, sudden-onset dementia, Lewy Body Disease (dementia with Lewy bodies) or any other type of cognitive impairment, we can help. A professional CAREGiver from Home Instead Senior Care of Metairie can help your loved one with dementia stay safe and happy at home.

A few of the benefits of professional dementia care:

Caregiving just when you need it. In the early stages of dementia, people may only need wake-up or tuck-in services. As the disease progresses, we will work with you to expand care to meet your loved one's need and budget.

Respite. Dementia can take a toll on family caregivers. Our professional CAREGivers will provide compassionate care to your loved one while you take some much-needed time for yourself. Schedule one day a week "off" for yourself, or take a weekend getaway to refresh and recharge your energy. Meanwhile, you can be assured your loved one is secure and well cared-for at home.

An expert knowledge base at your disposal. As your family member's dementia progresses, you may have a lot of questions about what is 'normal' behavior. Our CAREGivers can share their wealth of knowledge and experience with you to ease your mind.

Parkinson's Care Services

After Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease is the most common neuro-degenerative disorder in America. Home Instead Senior Care of Metairie​ offers specialized caregiving services to families affected by Parkinson's.

Parkinson's disease produces physical symptoms like tremors that get worse over time. Professional in-home caregiving can improve the quality of life for people with Parkinson's. We can help with:

Independent living. Our in-home assistance keeps your loved one at home. Our specially trained CAREGivers can help meet the unique needs of people with Parkinson's.

Adjustment support. As the disease progresses, your loved one may struggle to adapt to a loss of physical function. Our CAREGivers provide compassionate support in helping your family member adapt physically and emotionally to these changes.

Personal care. We will provide personal care, such as toileting and bathing, with dignity and respect.

Trained Dementia CAREGivers in Metairie, LA

​​​We would be honored to serve your family. Call us today to learn more about homecare caregiving for your loved one with Alzheimer's, dementia, Parkinson's or another chronic disease: (504) 229-7663.​​​ Checkout what other families have to say about our Senior Care Meairie, LA reviews.​

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Rates & Hours

We can tailor a home care arrangement to fit both your family's lifestyle and budget.